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Not long to go now in the Premier League, so it’s a good chance to check out where the runners and riders are – who’s on their way up and who’s on their way down. Vocabulary support can be found for the words in bold at the foot of the post.
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Twelve games remain in the Premier League and it now looks as if it is a two-horse race between Chelsea and holders Manchester United for the title. The London side currently lead by two points but they have just been held to a draw by relegation-threatened Hull City and of course the allegations over their captain John Terry may undermine them further. United have suddenly hit form and with players returning after injury and Wayne Rooney in their side they will feel that they have the experience to win the title yet again. If they were to do so it would be their fourth in a row – a feat that has never been done before – it would also give the club a record 19th league title which would upset their Lancashire rivals Liverpool no end. What of Liverpool? Well, they currently lie in 5th place, 14 points behind the leaders but it is not the title they are challenging for but rather the much-coveted 4th spot, which would guarantee Champions League football next season. If the Reds were not to make it then the financial repercussions could be extremely damaging indeed, something which would not affect one of their rivals for that Champions League spot Manchester City.
Mega-rich City don’t need to be in the Champions League for the cash, they just want to be able to play with the big boys and be taken seriously next year. They lie in 6th place 1 point behind my team Tottenham who are in 4th with 42 points. This time last year Spurs were flirting with relegation so the turnaround has been nothing short of remarkable. Most fans still don’t think they can maintain their challenge but rather than worry about the chasing pack – including Aston Villa – it might be worth focusing on the third place currently filled by rivals Arsenal. Yes, they are 7 points clear but they have just received a thumping from Manchester United, face leaders Chelsea this weekend, are struggling in front of goal and have lost confidence in defence.
So, who is going to win it? I am going for Manchester United first, Chelsea second, Manchester City third and Tottenham to finish in theA top four. Now that would throw the cat amongst the pigeons!
It would indeed! But what about at the foot of the table? Which teams are struggling and in danger of the drop? It looks as the south-coast side, Portsmouth, FA Cup winners in 2008 but financial car crash this year, have already booked their place on next year’s Championship, the second division of English football, as they have been stuck at the bottom since , well, pretty much the start of the season. They have 15 points and only four wins and despite new owners, – their fourth this season – you could put your house on them being relegated. But they may be able to salvage something as they are in the 5th round of the FA Cup where they take on rivals Southampton.
But who will join them? Burnley sit 5 points above them in 19th and there are five teams within two points. Any kind of win in the remaining games is going to be like gold for Burnley, Hull, Wolves, Bolton, West Ham and Wigan. These look the likely candidates to fill the final two relegation spots. Two of those came up last year, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers and my feeling is that Wolves will be going straight back down. While Burnley have been poor recently they have the faint hope that their form at Turf Moor may return to see them safe a€“ theya€™ve only lost twice in 11 games.
That leaves one more team to join Pompey and Wolves. West Ham seem to have steadied the ship with new money and new players and Bolton have shown in their 3-3 draw against Manchester City and even the 4-2 loss against Arsenal that they have a side that should do enough. So Wigan or Hull. For me, ita€™s Hull City, who escaped relegation last season by the skin of their teeth. Phil Browna€™s side are often hard to beat, but with no win in 10 they may find it hard to pick up enough points to save themselves. Portsmouth, Wolves and Hull to go down.
Vocabulary
a two-horse race: a competition between two teams, only these two teams are likely to win
thumping: thrashing, hammering, beating
feat: achievement, accomplishment, triumph
much coveted: prized, wanted a lot
flirting with relegation: being dangerously close to dropping down a division, being close to the bottom of the table
throw (put) the cat among the pigeons: cause a big upset/surprise, shock people, cause chaos
financial car crash: financial disaster, a team whose finances are in a terrible condition
salvage: save, rescue
put your house on: bet a lot of money, gamble a large sum of cash
faint: small, unlikely but possible
steady the ship: resolve problems, make things less chaotic, become more settled and relaxed
escape by the skin of your teeth: narrowly avoid something, be lucky to escape
